One of our favorite stories serialized in Island magazine, Gael Bertrand's silent fantasy comic A Land Called Tarot finally got a hardcover--even if you haven't been reading Island, A Land Called Tarot is a fantastic standalone story about... portals? A shape-shifting boy? Who knows. It's great tho. PLUS we'll be Skyping with creator Gael Bertrand!

So, despite a strong progressive groundswell for Keith Ellison, Clinton flunkie Tom Perez has been elected Chairman of the Democratic Party (as if it really matters), and he won the way Democrats always win these days -- by kissing Wall Street's ass, licking Israel's boots, and taking a big, steaming dump all over the Left.

This was inspired by a recently-tweeted nugget of gold from Wikileaks' John Podesta email trove, a snotty little fart by Perez in reply to one of the Hillary campaign honcho's missives.

CRYSTAL CITY, VA — Registration is now open for artists and performers to display work at Artomatic 2017, the DC area's biggest free arts event, being held from March 24th through May 6th in Crystal City at Vornado/Charles E. Smith's 1800 South Bell Street building, Arlington, VA. Artists, performers, filmmakers, and creatives of all types may now register to participate in Artomatic at www.artomatic.org.

Anyone can participate in Artomatic - Artomatic events are unjuried and inclusive, allowing exhibition, presentation and publication opportunities for local artists, poets, writers and performers to display and perform their work.

There are no criteria to register, and space is allocated on a first-come, first serve basis. On the heels of the successful Artomatic Park Potomac 2016 in Potomac, MD last Fall, Artomatic Crystal City expects to attract thousands of visitors to see work by hundreds of artists and performers.

Artomatic is well known for hosting signature events in temporary spaces that enable the arts community, its supporters and community stakeholders to connect – all free to visit.

Every night of the event, thousands of people visit Artomatic to discover new art, listen to music, go on dates, grab a drink, and mingle with the creative community. Artomatic features dozens of daytime art workshops for kids and adults. No matter what kind of creative events you enjoy, you'll find something to like at Artomatic.

"Were very excited about this years show but more excited for the artists and performers who will have the opportunity to display their art," says Jennifer Williamson, Artomatic's President. "The Crystal City Business Improvement District (BID) once again will provide a setting to up-and-coming and veteran artists to present their artistic vision to the community. We are eager to welcome visitors through the doors on March 24."

Visitors will enjoy easy access to Artomatic, just one block from the Crystal City METRO Station on Yellow and Blue lines, with plenty of parking and bus lines nearby, great food and drinks at the event, and many wonderful restaurants throughout the neighborhood.

Artomatic 2017 is also connected, via the interior concourse of Crystal City, to Art Underground, a vibrant arts and cultural destination.

For the latest information about the event, how to participate, and when to visit, subscribe to Artomatic by signing up for our mailing list, Facebook, or Twitter, and check the Artomatic website for updates.

What: Artomatic 2017, an arts spectacular in the heart of Crystal City

When: Register NOW for the event Friday, March 24 – Saturday, May 6, 2017

Where: 1800 S. Bell Street

Arlington, VA 22202

METRO: Blue and Yellow lines to Crystal City

Crystal Drive between 18th and 20th Streets.

Who: Artists and everyone. This event is free to visit.

Website: Artomatic.org

Social Media: Facebook: Facebook.com/Artomatic

Twitter: @ARTOMATIC

Artist Questions: For information about exhibiting art at Artomatic, visit:

John is survived by his wife Mary, of Arlington who is consigning these.

Closing Today: A Truly Amazing Spider-Man Run!

Among the Featured Auction lots that start closing this evening at 8pm Eastern/5pm Pacific is one of the best groupings of Spider-Man comic books to ever surface within in a single auction. The selection is led by an rare Near Mint range example ofAmazing Fantasy #15 (1st Spider-Man) CBCS 9.0, a strong CGC 7.5 of the same important issue, and examples from a recently coined Silver Age pedigree collection featuring Amazing Spider-Man #1 (CGC 9.0)to #52 as well as Annual #1 (and don't forget the rare Strange Tales Annual #2 in CGC 9.4 closing on a subsequent evening).

The headliner is the exceptional Amazing Fantasy #15 example you see to your left. Certified by CBCS at the VFNM 9.0 tier – it's got an unusually fresh look from front to back, even for a 9.0!

This auction offers our bidders first shot at Amazing Spider-Man #1-#52 (plus ASM Annual #1 and Strange Tales Annual #2) from the newly coined John G. Fantucchio Collection--a CGC recognized "pedigree" collection stretching back to the early Silver Age. When these were removed from the estate late last year, it was the first time, figuratively speaking, that they had seen the light of day since they were acquired off of the newsstand 50+ years ago! These high-grade books have striking visual appeal, newsstand-fresh colors and nearly all of them still have white interior page preservation. View Collection Lots

A tour of the Michigan State University Libraries Remote Storage Facility Special Collections comics shelves. MSU Special Collections Comics Bibliographer guides the tour and Ryan Claytor films and narrates. Video taken on Feb 16th, 2017

Katsucon returned once again to the picturesque Gaylord National Harbor Resort in Oxon Hill, Maryland, for another weekend of anime, manga, video games, and of course cosplay. Anime fans from around the country packed the resort hotel and convention center from February 17-19, 2017, with many cosplayers bringing out their best work for the event.

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Powhatan School in Boyce, Va., will host its 4th Graphic Novelists Workshop on
Friday, March 3, from 12:30 to 4:30 pm. The workshop costs $25 per participant
and is open to all students in grades 3rd through high school are invited to
attend. Participating students will attend sessions with each of the presenting
graphic novelists and have the opportunity to use what they have learned to
create their own graphic novelette. Registration for the workshop is online at www.PowhatanLibraryOnline.comPresenting graphic novelists include Hobbes Holluck, Carolyn Belefski and Art
Hondros.

Below, we chatted with Tracie
Chloel Lane, library media specialist at Powhatan, who has spearheaded
the annual workshop.

How did the idea for
these comics workshops originate?

Several years ago, one of my students came across Trickster, and bought a copy
for our library. The donation was quickly followed with a “Ms. Lane, you should
get this guy to come visit our school.” Engaging my investigative skills, I
logged into Facebook, and typed Matt Dembicki into the search feature, thus
beginning my side job stalking graphic novelists and authors so I could lure
them to our school. The resulting author visit ignited our students. Our graphic
novel collection was born. And an idea formed. The following year, we invited
Matt back and asked him to bring a couple friends. It was our first Graphic
Novelist Workshop @ Powhatan School.

Tracie Chloel Lane

The workshop format is really great for the participants. Author visits are
wonderful. They give students the opportunity to meet and learn about the
authors of the books they read and love. A workshop takes that visit to a
deeper level. It gives young people the opportunity to learn from people who
are writing the stories that feed their brains and fires up their imaginations.
The workshop gives them the opportunity to see themselves as the writer, the
illustrator, the creator of books. It demystifies the experience of having a
byline on the cover of a book. It gives our children and teens the opportunity
to see themselves in that role.

Our Graphic Novelist
Workshops spawned our writing workshops that take place in the fall.

What’s been the reaction among the students, teachers, parents?

This is the fourth
year we have hosted the Graphic Novelist workshop at Powhatan School. Every
year, we have more students and alumni coming than the year before. Several of
our students have produced their own graphic novels. One of our young novelists
has gone on to sell his work and another is heading off to Virginia Commonwealth
University in the fall to study Communication Arts. Our parents and teachers
love anything that gets kids reading more, writing more, and enthusiastic about
the process.

You always look for ways to add a new spin to the program. Can you briefly
outline what you’ve done in the past and your ideas for the upcoming program in
March?

Art by Carolyn Belefski

Our base group of participants come every year. A new spin on the workshop is
essential. Our participants want to build on the skills and knowledge they’ve gained.
We host different novelists each year. The novelists are active participants in
determining what skill will be shared and how it will be taught. We coordinate
this through a private Facebook group that gives current and previous
presenting novelists and editors the opportunity to communicate ideas and
experiences with each other. That helps mix things up a bit.

This year, I want to
take it a step farther. I want to publish a collection of the works of the
children and teens that participate in the workshop. To facilitate this goal,
we’ve invited a former editor of the Magic Bullet to participate this year.

If other teachers and
librarians might be interested in adapted a similar program at their school or
library, what advice would you give them on how to get started?

First, they need a Matt.
Matt helps me find the up-and-coming (and already there) graphic novelists and
editors that I invite to our workshop each year. Visit another graphic novelist
workshop. Our program is open to our students and the community at large.
Visiting teachers and librarians are welcome at our Workshop (though I may put
them to work).

What has been the
most challenging part of the program?

Art by Hobbes Hillock

Funding. For the
first three years we offered the workshop free or with a small fee for
expenses. This year, funding has made it necessary to charge a $25
registration fee to cover the costs.

Featured Post

by Mike Rhode Team Cul de Sac was formed by my friend Chris Sparks to raise money for the Michael J. Fox Foundation's Team Fox charity...

ComicsDC is a blog for information and events relating to cartoons, cartoonists and comics including comic books, webcomics, comic strips, political cartoons, animation and caricature in Washington, DC and its environs (roughly Baltimore, MD down to Richmond, VA and Annapolis, MD out to Front Royal, VA). Press releases including store events are welcomed. Established 2006.

Matt Dembicki, feature writer

About Matt Dembicki

Matt Dembicki is a cartoonist workin' and livin' in the DMV (District-Maryland-Virginia area). He previously edited and contributed to the Eisner-nominated and Aesop Prize-winning 'Trickster' and the Harvey-nominated District Comics, which the Washington Post included in its top books of 2012. Matt's other comics projects include the nature-based graphic novels Xoc: The Journey of a Great White (Oni Press) and Mr. Big: A Tale of Pond Life (Sky Pony Press). Matt is a co-founder of the D.C. Conspiracy, a local comic creators collective that publishes the semi-annual free comics newspaper Magic Bullet.